Caldwell pitcher Colin Bohnert has committed to continue his career at Rutgers.

Bohnert, a 6’2”, 170-pound right-hander, selected the New Jersey school over Quinnipiac and Fordham. Duke had also showed late interest.

“I love their baseball program. I love the coaching there, Coach (Fred) Hill, Coach (Joe) Litterio and Coach (Casey) Gaynor,” Bohnert said. “It’s a unique opportunity to go play in the Big East for a year and then my sophomore year to switch over to the Big 10.”

Bohnert has been one of Essex County’s top pitchers, going 11-2 over the past two seasons for Caldwell. In addition to his four-seam fastball that has been clocked in the mid-80s, Bohnert throws a two-seam fastball, a changeup, curveball and a sinker.

“I don’t have that overpowering fastball, so I like to work in my off-speed at different counts,” Bohnert. “I like to think that I can throw off-speed in any count. That’s really what sets me apart from most.”

As stellar as Bohnert’s record and stuff are, what most impresses his coach is his mental approach to the game and work ethic.

“I would say in the last year, from last year to this year, he’s improved in leaps and bounds with his mental approach to the game,” coach Tom Lamont said. “Not so much his natural ability because he’s always had that, but he’s matured from a teenager to a young man and how he goes about his business and how he goes about preparing to be successful is the biggest difference I see.”

Lamont cited Bohnert’s commitment and maximum effort in every drill in practice as one of his biggest strengths.

In 34 1/3 innings this season, Bohnert is 3-2 with a 2.24 ERA and 41 strikeouts heading into Thursday’s Greater Newark Tournament quarterfinal game against Nutley. Last year, he went 8-0 with a 1.71 ERA.

“Colin’s worked very, very hard to get to where he’s gotten to,” Lamont said. “Playing Division 1 baseball has always been a goal for him and a dream for him, so to be given the opportunity by Coach Hill to go down to Rutgers and do that is certainly a great achievement for him.”